November 11, 2021- CebuDoc Group's Center for Sight was visited by two renowned eye surgeons from The Lasik Surgery Clinic in Angeles, Pampanga, to learn about the latest innovation in vision correction.

Senior eye doctors Dr. Andrew Angeles and Dr. Raoul Henson of The Lasik Surgery Clinic have been delivering eye care treatments like Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) in their respective clinics since 2018. They have traveled a long distance from their clinics to learn about the process and procedure of our most recent vision correction innovation - Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) performed by Dr. Potenciano "Yong" S.D. Larrazabal, III.

“We are glad to be visited by two equally distinguished eye surgeons in the field. This is a testament that CebuDoc Group and Larrazabal Eye Group are leaders of holistic and advanced eye care in the country,” said Dr. Larrazabal.

SMILE was launched early this year by CebuDoc Group and Larrazabal Eye Group as part of its joint commitment to innovate eye care in the region. It is the most advanced laser vision correction since LASIK. It is an advanced technique and the latest development in refractive laser treatments.

Understanding SMILE and LASIK

For more than 25 years, SMILE and LASIK have offered a comprehensive set of laser vision correction options to assist many patients in improving vision and reducing their need for glasses or contacts.

While LASIK was invented in the early 1990s and has since become the most popular form of laser vision repair, SMILE, on the other hand, is the first significant advancement in laser vision correction since LASIK - it is painless, odorless, and minimally invasive.

During SMILE surgery, a thin, contact lens-shaped layer under the eye surface is removed through a tiny incision, carefully reshaping the cornea and sharpening the patient's vision to correct refractive diffraction. While on LASIK surgery, using the laser, a small flap across the cornea is created then retracted. And with the second laser, the cornea is rebuilt, allowing the eye to focus more clearly, and then the flap is folded back into its original position.

The flap heals fast after LASIK surgery, and the side effects are a low risk of infection and dry eye. The visual recovery usually happens instantly, but the flap takes four to seven days to mend and settle. While with SMILE, the number of incidences of dry eye, severed nerves, and infection after the surgery is extraordinarily-low. Patients remark that it is a very comfortable and convenient experience overall. Most daily activities, such as driving, showering, applying makeup, and going to work, can be resumed within a few days.